newman



Dec. 27, 1955 L. B. NEWMAN SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR FLUOROSCOPIC VIEWINGSCREENS Filed Nov. 21, 1952 INVENTOR. LUTHER B. NEWMAN, BY

ATroRA/Ex United States Patent 9 SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR FLUOROSCOPICVIEWING SCREENS Luther B. Newman, Miami, Fla. Application November 21,1952, Serial No. 321,902

4 Claims. (Cl. 250-79) This invention relates to an improvement influoroscopic machines and has particular reference to a novel supportfor the well known viewing screens employed in such machines.

The present invention has for its prime purpose, the provision of anovel support for the viewing screen of the well known clinicalfluoroscopic machine that permits of more freedom by the examiner inpositioning his patients, expedites mass examinations, since the screenis so supported as to permit the entry of a patient at one side andleave from the opposite, a distinct advantage not possible with machinesnow in use and, simplifies the examination of patients on a stretcher, aposition not possible with fluoroscopic machines at present beingemployed.

A further important object of the invention resides in the extremesimplicity and flexibility of the supporting means for the viewingscreen without removing the screen from the focal point of the tube.

Novel features of construction and operation will be more clearlyapparent by reference to the following description, coupled with theaccompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred mannerof mounting the viewing screen and wherein like characters of referenceare employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordancewith the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device embodying theinvention.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates aconventional fluoroscopic machine as a whole, embodying the usual andwell known casing 6, having a front rectangular panel 7, transparent tothe rays from a conventional X-ray tube within the casing, not shown inthis application. The X-ray tube is supported in the usual mannerwhereby it is shiftable both vertically and laterally to focus its raysupon all area of the panel 7. The support for the X-ray tube embodies abracket arm 8, shown fragmentarily in Figures 2 and 3 and this bracketarm 8 serves as a means for the mounting support of a conventionalviewing screen 9. In well known practice, the viewing screen 9 isshiftable in an identical vertical and lateral path with the X-ray tube,with the screen 9 being always in direct focus with the tube. The screen9 includes a frame 10, provided with hand grips 11 at its opposite endsto facilitate the shifting of the screen by the examiner. The screenframe is provided with upper and lower trunnions 12, axially aligned, asa means for mounting the screen 10 within a U-shaped frame 13 to swingin a horizontal path.

The frame 13 is equipped with a preferably integral cylindrical bearinglug 14, having rotatable support upon the lower terminal end of avertically disposed rod 15. The rod 15 at its upper end is flattened andapertured for pivotal support within the bifurcated end 16 of a2,728,860 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 goose-neck 17, formed upon the upperportion of a vertically disposed fixed rod 18. The rod 18 is fixedlysupported within the bracket arm 8 in any convenient manner to retainthe viewing screen 9 against shifting laterally independent of the X-raytube and its supporting bracket. The pivotal support as at 16 willpermit the screen to be shifted forwardly and rearwardly with respect tothe panel 7, but will at the same time maintain the screen in the focusrange of the tube. The top of the casing is slotted at 19 to permit theshifting movement both vertically and laterally of the screen supportingmeans including the rods 15 and 18. At its lowermost position ofadjustment, the goose-neck 17 extends sufficiently above the top of thecasing to permit a patient to stand erect and pass therebeneath freelyand without interference. The use of such a support for the viewingscreen 9 permits a patient to enter from one side of the machine tostand behind the screen for examination and, upon completion of theexamination, to pass from the opposite side. Fluoroscopic machinespresently being employed, support the viewing screen forward of thepanel 7, by extending the bracket arm 8 of the lamp mounting, forwardlyof the casing and through a slot formed in the forward wall of thecasing, thus permitting a patient to enter and leave the machine orrange of examination from one side of the machine only. The screensupport of this invention is entirely out of the path of movement of thepatient and serves to speed up mass examinations, since the severalpatients may be progressively moved into range from one side and leaveupon the other. The pivotal connection 16 permits the screen to bepulled forwardly by the examiner to facilitate the positioning of thepatient therebehind and further facilitates the movement of the screenwhen examining a stretcher patient. The arms 15 and 18 will obviously beformed of any suitable material and may be formed either solid ortubular.

In the use of the device, the examiner has positioned himself in theusual position in advance of the screen 9. The patient enters and ispositioned properly in front of the panel 7 and behind the screen 9. Theexaminer then proceeds with his examination, shifting the screenlaterally and vertically and in firm contact with the body of thepatient for each point of concentration. As the screen is elevated orlowered or shifted laterally, an identical movement of the X-ray tubeand its associated bracket will take place through the medium of thesupport of the invention. Thus, the support of the present invention,while providing a very desirable clearance for the patient, serves tomaintain the screen and tube in proper and essential focus. Uponcompletion of the examination, the examiner will pull the screenforwardly and the patient instructed to leave the machine from the sideopposite to that upon which he entered.

The device of the present invention thus offers a very desirableimprovement for fluoroscopic machines that very considerably increasesthe efiiciency of the device plus a very considerable saving of time forthe examiner. The parts are simple, strong, cheap to manufacture andeffective for the purpose designed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a clinical fluoroscopic examining machineincluding a cabinet that is provided with a front panel transparent toX-rays, the machine having a source of X-rays movable within the cabinetand behind the panel and a viewing screen supported forwardly of thepanel that is focused to the source of X-rays, the source of X-raysbeing supported upon and shiftable with a bracket, an arm connected withthe bracket that is perpendicularly arranged and which projects upwardlythrough an opening formed in the top of the cabinet, the

arm shaped to extend forwardly of the cabinet and having-a terminal endprovidedwith a pivotal bearing, a second arm pivotally connected; at itsupper end to the pivotal bearing and at its lower end connected with theviewingscreen, the viewing screenbeing shiftable in a horizontalplanelaterally and toward and fromv the panel, the said arms supporting theviewing screen forwardly of the, panel to provide clearance for theentry or exit of a patient to be examined from either side of themachine, the said arms andthe viewing screen andithe said bracket beingshiftable in a vertical plane in an identical and simultaneous path.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the second namedarm has swivelled connection with a U-shapedbracket, the said viewingscreen embodying a frame thatis provided with upper and lower trunnionsaxiallyarranged and having swivelled mounting in the U=sh;aped frame toswing in a horizontal plane with respect-to the U'-shaped bracket, theU-shaped bracket being swivelled; to swing in a horizontal plane andhand grips carried by the opposite ends of the viewing screen.

3. The device as in claim 1", wherein the first named arm and itsforward extension is disposed at an elevation above the top of themachine to provide adequate patient clearance for a patient beingexamined with the machine when the view screen and associated parts areshifted to their lowermost position.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the first named arm is fixed withthe bracket against turning and wherein the forward extension is in theform of a gooseneck that is bifurcated at its terminal end; thebifurcated'end being so positioned as to prevent axial turning movementof the second namedarm and with the second named arm being limited inits swinging movement in a plane toward and from the panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,285,283 McClintock Nov. 19, 1918 1,687,509 Pieper et. al. Oct. l6,1928,, 2,132,076 Kotraschek et al. Oct. 4, 1938. 2,456,096 Wehmer Dec,14, 1948 2,567,363 Blatz Sept. 11, 1951

